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Henley Festival Board of Trustees and CEO Nick Mattingley have agreed to postpone Henley Festival for a full year, meaning that the festival will not return until July 2021.

Henley Festival has come to this difficult decision having assessed several factors very carefully including:

Government advice, in particular travel restrictions and social distancing measures

Henley Royal Regatta’s decision to cancel for the first time since World War 2 meaning the Festival site and structures will not be available

And, most importantly, the health and safety of the festival’s guests, artists, contractors and staff

Madness will play the 2021 Henley Festival

The festival will return next year with the full 2020 line up including headliners James Blunt, Madness, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Disco Classic and A Classical Salute. The festival is working hard to move all contributors, artists and talent over to 2021 in order to stage the Festival already planned, and much anticipated, in this now turbulent year.

Anyone who has already bought tickets for the festival, their tickets will be still be valid for the festival in 2021. Henley Festival will be contacting everyone who has bought tickets with options for next year.

Henley Festival CEO Nick Mattingley said, “We understand the immense disappointment after all the extraordinary work that has taken place to bring this much loved festival to Henley for its 38th year. We look forward to welcoming festival goers and artists back to the festival in 2021 to help us celebrate 39 years of this spectacular festival.”

Before setting up Travel Begins at 40, Mark was the publisher of AsiaLIFE Cambodia and a freelance travel writer. When he is not packing and unpacking his travelling bag, Mark writes novels, including To Cook A Spider and Peppered Justice. He loves walking, eating, beer, isolation and arthouse movies, as well as talking to strangers on planes, buses and trains.

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Travel Begins at 40

They say that life begins at forty, so too can travel. Travel Begins at 40 is a website aimed at the independent-minded, mature and empathetic traveller. From cultural tourism to homestays, adventure travel and eco-tourism, our team of travel writing experts have shared their best – and worst – travel experiences with you, as well as providing insight into the most exciting destinations on the planet, and the more interesting things you can do once you get there. Let the adventure begin. Read more →